Financial Incentive for Dementia Research Participation

(FIND-AD Aim 2 Trial)

Overseen By Mireille Jacobson Professor, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Southern California

Disqualifiers: Current dementia diagnosis

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

400 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial examines whether a small financial incentive can encourage more diverse participation in a memory concerns registry for Alzheimer's research. The study compares the effectiveness of a $25 gift card versus non-monetary gifts, such as a reusable grocery bag, in boosting participation. It targets adults over 50 who can read English or Spanish and have email access. The research aims to increase diversity in Alzheimer's studies, focusing on women, older adults, and communities of color. As an unphased study, this trial provides a unique opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking research that could enhance diversity in Alzheimer's research.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that this financial incentive is safe for participants?

Past research has used financial incentives like gift cards or small cash rewards in studies on dementia care and weight loss. These studies showed that financial incentives did not harm participants' health or increase healthcare costs. For instance, in a dementia study, the financial incentive did not affect patients' health conditions. Another study on weight loss found that participants who received financial incentives could temporarily maintain their weight loss, indicating a positive outcome without negative effects.

Financial incentives are generally safe and encourage people to join studies without impacting their health. This method makes study participation more attractive, especially for people from various backgrounds. Overall, using financial incentives in research is considered safe and well-accepted. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores the potential of financial incentives to boost participation in dementia research. Unlike standard care options that focus on managing symptoms of dementia, this approach aims to increase research involvement by offering gift cards. This could lead to more robust data collection and faster advancements in understanding and treating dementia. By examining how financial incentives impact participation, researchers hope to develop strategies that engage more people in vital studies, ultimately accelerating the discovery of effective treatments.

What evidence suggests that this trial's financial incentives could be effective for increasing diverse participation in Alzheimer's research?

Research has shown that offering money can increase participation from diverse backgrounds in clinical studies. In this trial, participants in one arm will receive a financial incentive in the form of a gift card for enrolling in the APT Web Study. One study found that financial rewards, such as a $25 gift card, encouraged more low-income and racially diverse individuals to participate. However, another study found that these rewards did not improve health outcomes or reduce costs for dementia care. Overall, financial incentives seem promising for increasing participation, especially among underrepresented groups. ^{2 4 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Mireille Jaocbson, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Southern California

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is seeking a diverse group of participants, including women, older adults, people from communities of color (especially Black and Latino individuals), and those with lower socioeconomic status. The goal is to see if $25 incentives can boost enrollment in the Alzheimer's Prevention Trial Webstudy.

Inclusion Criteria

Able to read English or Spanish

Email access

I am 50 years old or older.

Exclusion Criteria

Current dementia diagnosis

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1 day

In-person recruitment at community events

Enrollment

Participants are enrolled in the APT Webstudy and complete at least one of two remote cognitive assessments

1 day

In-person recruitment at community events

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for completion of both cognitive assessments

1 day

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Active Comparator #1
• Financial Incentive

Trial Overview The study tests whether small financial rewards are more effective than non-monetary gifts like reusable grocery bags at encouraging sign-ups for an Alzheimer's research registry. Recruitment takes place at community events and markets.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Financial incentive Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants in this arm will receive a gift card for enrolling in the APT Web Study

Group II: Nominal value gift Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants in this arm will receive a $0-$2 gift for enrolling in the APT Web Study.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Southern California

Lead Sponsor

Trials

956

Recruited

1,609,000+

Vision y Compromiso

Collaborator

Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute

Collaborator

Trials

18

Recruited

58,400+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12374222/

Financial Incentives to Increase Diversity of Older ... Can financial incentives increase enrollment of primarily low-income, racially and ethnically diverse patients from a county health system ...

2. cdn.clinicaltrials.gov cdn.clinicaltrials.gov/large-docs/66/NCT06033066/Prot_000.pdf

IRB-Social-Behavioral-Protocol-CCHS Aim 09.06.23 clean The goal of this work is to explicitly test whether financial incentives can be used to increase the diversity of participants recruited to the ...

3. journals.plos.org journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0282965

Effects of a financial incentive scheme for dementia care on ... The financial incentive scheme for dementia care did not demonstrate any beneficial effects on patients' healthcare expenditures or health conditions.

4. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-memory-decline-5-2025-9f87a

Financial Incentive for Dementia Research Participation The purpose of this study is to assess whether offering small $25 financial incentives can increase enrollment of diverse community members to ...

5. alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.14350?af=R

Public and participant involvement as a pathway to inclusive ... Researchers can work with PPI members to determine what compensation for research participation would be appropriate, and what incentives should ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10004481/

Effects of a financial incentive scheme for dementia care on ... The financial incentive scheme for dementia care did not demonstrate any beneficial effects on patients' healthcare expenditures or health conditions.

7. alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/trc2.12399

Barriers and facilitators to participating in Alzheimer's disease ... At minimum, researchers should work to ensure that there is little to no financial or resource burden on individuals for research participation.

8. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0020748919302779

Structure and process of dementia care and patient ... As of one year after implementation, the financial incentive for dementia care was not significantly associated with better outcomes of in-hospital ...